Improvement in carriage-tops



HENRY M 'COLTON.

Improvement in Carriage-Tops.

Patented AprH 30, $872.

NI'IED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY M. OOLTON, OF SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CARRIAGE-TOPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,130, dated April 30, 1872; antedated April 20, 1872.

To all whom may it concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. CoL'roN, of Southbridge, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage-Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a carriage-top having my improvements applied thereto; Fig. 2 represents a vertical central section of the same; and Fig. 3 represents a vertical central section with the extension drawn back.

The nature of my invention consists in the combination, with a carriage-top, of a reversible top extension or awning, as hereinafter described. Also, incertain peculiarly-constructed devices for connecting the supporting-bows of the reversible extension or awning to the bows which support the carriage-top, as hereinafter explained.

In the drawing, the parts marked A indicate the topsupporting frame; B B B indicate the bows; and O, the covering of the top. The bows are pivoted at their ends to projecting portions A of the supporting-frame A, in the manner illustrated,and the bows are held in an elevated position, by hinged brace-bars D, in the ordinary manner. E indicates an auxiliary bow, on which is supported a reversible covering, extension, or awning, F, one edge of which is secured around the auxiliary bow E, and the other edge is attached to the front bow B of the carriage-top or to the front part of the covering 0. The ends of the auxiliary bow E are each pivoted to two link-pieces, a a, which links are, at their other ends, pivoted to the two first bows, B B of the top, respectively, in such a manner that when the carriage-top is in an elevated position the lower ends of the bow E will be at a position centrally between the hows B and B so that when the bow is swung back and forward it will swing in an arc equidistant from each of said bows B and B. By thus pivoting the bow E the awning or extension can be swung outward, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or it can be reversed or swung inward beneath the topcovering 0, as shown in Fig. 3.

The awning F may be made of the same material as the covering 0, or of other material, as desired. When swung outward it forms a very convenient and useful protection from the rays of the-sun, or against the wind, rain, or snow. It is especially useful upon infants carriages, as it serves to protect them from the sunlight, when needful, and can readily be swung back out of the way when not in use, or whenplacin g the infants'in or taking them from the carriage. When the awningis swung back it turns upon its supporting-bow E'sorthat the surface which is up when the extension is out-isreversed,' and is presented as a facing at the front edge of the top,'thereby pruducin g a neat and finished appearance. The bow E is made of such length and curvature as to just pass easily beneath the how 13, and when swung back it rests against the top coveringnear the secondbow B As the bow E, when back, is past its supporting-center, it will remain in such position. If desired, the

auxiliary bow E may be locked to the bow B by some suitable catch device. The rear edge of the awning or extension may be secured to the front how 13 of the top by means of a thin metallic strip or binding-screw, or tacked to the under side of the bow B in such a manner as to embrace the edge of the awning between the metal strip and how 13*, or the awning can be sewed to the covering 0, or be secured in any other convenient manner. The lower ends of the bow E may be pivoted directly to either of the bows B or B in lieu of using the link-pieces a a, or to backward projections formed on the front how 13 or forward projection formed on the bow B but I prefer the construction shown, inasmuch as it tends to draw the upper part of the bow E away from the top covering when the top is tipped back. 1

The awning may be made of greater or less size, to suit the requirements and style of carriage upon which it is used, and may be made of a single thickness of material, or lined to correspond with the lining of the carriage-top. One or more bows, E, may be used, as required, for properly spreading the awning or reversible extension to its full extent, or a portion thereof, as desired.

It will he observed that the top having the reversible extension or awning applied thereto can be just as easily and conveniently tipped back as the ordinary carriage-top without the awning. The extension-top may be made by using two auxiliary bows-one at the front and one at 15116 13681 of the extension top-so that when it is swung forward and back the top extension will not be reversed.

Having described my improvements in carriage-tops, what I claim therein as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a carriage-top, of a reversible extension or awning, F, and bow E, the latter being pivoted or hinged to the interior opposite sides of one or more of the bows of the carriagetop, substantially as shown and pose stated.

HENRY M. (JOLTON. Witnesses:

Tnos. H. DODGE, CHAS. H. BURLEIGH. 

